The Future of Minecraft: Oculus Rift, Motion Controls, and More

Minecraft is a game that always keeps up with the times. Every time a major new piece of tech hits the scene, tinkerers always seem to immediately get to work on getting Minecraft up and running.

Below are 8 awesome ways we might be playing Minecraft within the next decade:

Microsoft HoloLens

Announced at Microsoft's Windows 10 press briefing, the Microsoft HoloLens is a true augmented reality device. The kicker is that a version of Minecraft is already playable on it! It'll be a few years before we'll be experiencing Minecraft in our natural surroundings, but until then we can dream.

Leap Motion

The leap motion controller is a small device that works like the Xbox Kinect. You plug it into your computer and you gain the ability to wave around your hands like a conductor at an orchestra. Leap Motion has already been made to work with Minecraft so you can act like a crazy person today!

Myo Armband

The Myo Armband measures electromagnetic activity from your muscles to detect 5 different poses you make with your hands. It also detects motion and orientation. Keen hackers have already integrated the Myo Armband into Minecraft with interesting results.

Oculus Rift

The Oculus Rift kickstarted a second-wave VR movement. And now, more and more developers are finally getting serious about making sure real games work with the budding technology. It has already been made to work with a variety of games, including Minecraft, and it’s a blast. The best part is that it can be used alongside so many of these other cool technologies for the ultimate immersive experience.

Virtuix Omni

So you can immerse your eyes and your arms in the world of Minecraft, but what about your legs? Enter Virtuix Omni. The Omni allows you to physically walk around a virtual reality world. Using specially designed shoes on a special platform, the Omni detects the sliding of your feet as you walk or run on the platform. Have fun running from Creepers in this get-up.

HTC Vive

The HTV Vive is Valve’s answer to the Oculus Rift. Featuring two 1200x1080 screens and a 90 frames per second refresh rate, the Vive is a serious VR contender. Releasing later this year, the HTC Vive will feature a gyrosensor, accelerometer, and a laser position sensor to track head movements and will also recognize body movement in a 15x15 foot area.

Kinect

Microsoft's Xbox Kinect is a powerful tool. As one of the first widely available motion controllers, Kinect has quickly entered the spotlight as a tool for both work and play. As Kinect evolves and becomes more accurate, there will be more opportunities to immerse yourself in games like Minecraft. And with Microsoft now actually owning Minecraft, deeper Kinect integration is a very strong possibility.

Virtusphere

Unless you have a lot of money to blow, don't expect to own your own Virtusphere in this lifetime. The Virtusphere is a giant ball that you stand in while gaming. You can run, jump, and even roll. Go call up your billionaire friend if you want to give it a try!

A Promising Future

Although some are farther along than others, all of the technologies above already actually exist. What else could a more distant future hold? Real holograms without a headset? Getting plugged into a game like The Matrix? There are so many possibilities. All it takes is a dream (and sometimes a Kickstarter).

Any cool tech you want to see applied to Minecraft or your other immersive game of choice? Let us know in the comments below.